Gaúcho Da Fronteira

Gaúcho da Fronteira rose beyond his regional base to nationwide recognition in Brazil by deploying a commercially effective blend of rock, forró, country, and whatever styles happened to be current, an approach that stood at odds with the purity principles long held by Brazilian gaúchos. He began playing the four-button accordion at age seven and soon mastered the standard accordion, the bandoneón, and the violão. Joining Os Vaqueanos in 1968, he appeared on the group’s album O Rio Grande do Sul Canta Com Os Vaqueanos, issued that year in Montevideo; the following year the ensemble released Canção do Carreteiro. He stayed with Os Vaqueanos until 1976, yet issued his debut solo LP, titled Gaúcho da Fronteira, in 1975. By 2000 he had completed eighteen further solo albums whose popularity steadily grew. The vanerão “Nhecovari Nhecofum,” featured on the 1980 WEA release Meu Rastro, became his most successful recording. In 1991 he composed the score for the film Gaúcho Negro.